Story Embers Podcast

The time has come for the grand finale of the Story Embers Podcast! To celebrate the last five years of the podcast and to reflect on this big season of change for Story Embers, podcast host James Noller sat down with Josiah DeGraaf, Mariposa Aristeo, and Daeus Lamb to discuss how to navigate seasons of change as a writer. The panelists dig deep in this episode to share personal stories of change in their own writing journeys. They give heartfelt advice on what to do when your writing practice doesn’t look the same as it used to during big life transitions, and also what to do when you are changing as a writer. Thank you to all our listeners who have supported us over the last 5 years! It has been such a joy creating this podcast and sharing it with such deep and thoughtful writers whose hearts are fully set on loving God with their writing. We are so grateful for each of you! May you continue to walk step by step with God in every season of your writing journey. Show notes: - Comment on this episode on our blog! - Become a supporter and get access to exclusive Story Embers updates, swag, and more! (https://www.patreon.com/storyembers) Music credits: Positive Motivation - Purple Planet Music (https://www.purple-planet.com/) Support the show

Join Christian authors Amanda Dykes, Laurie Lucking and Faith Blum as they share advice on: Also, as I mention in the episode, we have a sad announcement to make. Due to shifting commitments for many Story Embers team members, next month will be the last episode of the Story Embers Podcast. You're invited to join us this December for our final episode of the podcast, Navigating Seasons of Change in a Writer's Life. It's going to be a special one! Show notes: - Purchase 'Born of Gilded Mountains' by Amanda Dykes here! - Purchase 'Be Still My Soul' by Faith Blum here! - Purchase 'Traitor' by Laurie Lucking here! - Comment on this episode on our blog! - Become a supporter and get access to exclusive Story Embers updates, swag, and more! (https://www.patreon.com/storyembers) Music credits: Positive Motivation - Purple Planet Music (https://www.purple-planet.com/) Support the show

Listen to expert advice from Christian authors Kerry Nietz, Laura VanArendonk Baugh, and Lori Z. Scott as they show you: Show notes: - Purchase 'The Songweaver's Vow' by Laura VanArendonk Baugh here! - Purchase 'Offsides' by Lori Z. Scott here! - Purchase 'Lost Bits' by Kerry Nietz here! - Comment on this episode on our blog! - Become a supporter and get access to exclusive Story Embers updates, swag, and more! (https://www.patreon.com/storyembers) Music credits: Positive Motivation - Purple Planet Music (https://www.purple-planet.com/) Support the show

Join award-winning authors J.J. Fischer, Ann Marie Stewart and C.J. Milacci as they reveal how to build suspense in every chapter of your novel, how to turn sagging middles into tension-pounding scenes, how suspense works differently in romance vs action stories, and much more! Show notes: - Purchase 'Recruit of Talionis' by CJ Milacci here! - Purchase 'Out of the Water' by Ann Marie Stewart here! - Purchase 'Calor' by JJ Fischer here! - Comment on this episode on our blog! - Become a supporter and get access to exclusive Story Embers updates, swag, and more! (https://www.patreon.com/storyembers) Music credits: Positive Motivation - Purple Planet Music (https://www.purple-planet.com/) Support the show

Great stories require deep thinking. But how can you create space for deep thoughts in a world filled with distractions and other commitments? In today’s episode, Lori, Martin, and Daeus give some key insight into cultivating deep thoughts as a writer. They share the SCAMPER technique, discuss the difference between linear and web thinking, and describe how to “push beyond the wall” inside your mind. They also give suggestions for what to do when you’re too busy to write or think deeply. Show notes: - Comment on this episode on our blog! - Become a supporter and get access to exclusive Story Embers updates, swag, and more! (https://www.patreon.com/storyembers) Music credits: Positive Motivation - Purple Planet Music (https://www.purple-planet.com/) Support the show

How do you create characters who are dynamic, unpredictable, and who leap off the page? In today’s episode, Martin, Lori, and Daeus discuss what makes a nuanced, well-rounded character – and how to avoid the pitfalls of a boring protagonist. Tune in to discover the ingredients to finding depth in your characters and learn how digging into your own experiences can help the lives of your story’s inhabitants connect to a reader. Show notes: - Comment on this episode on our blog! - Become a supporter and get access to exclusive Story Embers updates, swag, and more! (https://www.patreon.com/storyembers) Music credits: Positive Motivation - Purple Planet Music (https://www.purple-planet.com/) Support the show

If the Bible reveals a creative God, how does His Word inspire and expand a writer’s creativity? In today’s episode, Daeus, Lori, and Martin explore how to ground your creative life in Scripture and how to depict characters who both are and aren’t walking in truth. They also share some examples of stories that engage with Scripture without coming across as preachy. Show notes: - Comment on this episode on our blog! - Become a supporter and get access to exclusive Story Embers updates, swag, and more! (https://www.patreon.com/storyembers) Music credits: Positive Motivation - Purple Planet Music (https://www.purple-planet.com/) Support the Show. Support the show

Every human heart longs for heaven. And, as Christians, the anticipation of going home to heaven one day is a unique theme we can poignantly wrestle with in our fiction. We can explore the tension we feel between the now of living for Christ in an imperfect world and the not yet of experiencing the new heavens and earth. In today’s episode, Daeus, Mariposa, and Josiah discuss how to write about a home we yearn for but haven’t yet seen. They also give advice on staying faithful each day without wishing to “escape” to heaven. Show notes: - Purchase 'The Shards of Elan' tetralogy by Laura VanArendonk Baugh here! - You can visit Laura VanArendonk Baugh's website by clicking here. - Comment on this episode on our blog! - Become a supporter and get access to exclusive Story Embers updates, swag, and more! (https://www.patreon.com/storyembers) Music credits: Positive Motivation - Purple Planet Music (https://www.purple-planet.com/) Support the show

Cliffhangers entice you to turn pages long into the night. But how do you write in a thrilling way that avoids disappointment and boredom? What actually keeps readers invested in a story when they encounter a dangling plot point? In today’s episode, Josiah, Mariposa, and Daeus show you how to engage readers with scenes that close at a nerve-wracking moment and later reach a satisfying conclusion. Show notes: - Comment on this episode on our blog! - Become a supporter and get access to exclusive Story Embers updates, swag, and more! (https://www.patreon.com/storyembers) Music credits: Positive Motivation - Purple Planet Music (https://www.purple-planet.com/) Support the show

We live in a world that’s become increasingly focused on fame, and “success” for a writer means having thousands of followers, signing with a large publisher, and hitting the bestseller list. The goal is to be in the spotlight and make a hefty income. But, as Christians, we write for God’s glory, not our own. Knowing this, we wrestle with moral questions about our dreams and ambitions. What if we want to be published by the Big Five? How do we grow an audience but not our pride? If we’re not seen, are we truly having an influence? In this episode, Josiah, Mariposa, and Daeus discuss serving God through writing—whether with a huge platform or a small one. Show notes: - Click here to purchase Lori Z. Scott's new book, Offsides! - Click to discover more about Lori Z. Scott on her website. - Comment on this episode on our blog! - Become a supporter and get access to exclusive Story Embers updates, swag, and more! (https://www.patreon.com/storyembers) Music credits: Positive Motivation - Purple Planet Music (https://www.purple-planet.com/) Support the show

Jesus said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” As writers who intend for others to read our work, we desire to be leaders, and as Christians that means we must lay ourselves down and seek to serve our audiences. But what does the application of that look like? Listen as Josiah, Gabby, and Daeus unpack the motivations and actions of a servant-hearted writer, why it’s such an important mindset to have, and how building relationships with readers can be like inviting them into a warm house on a rainy day. Show notes: - Discover more about Traitor by Laurie Lucking here! - Comment on this episode on our blog! - Become a supporter and get access to exclusive Story Embers updates, swag, and more! (https://www.patreon.com/storyembers) Music credits: Positive Motivation - Purple Planet Music (https://www.purple-planet.com/) Support the show

Like Tolkien’s depiction of The Shire, portraying moments of warmth and joy can be a powerful way to convey that Christ’s path is vastly different from the darkness in the world. How can showing characters’ potential to thrive give hope to readers? And how can writers do that while still being honest about sin and the hardships we all go through? Listen as Josiah, Gabby, and Daeus explore the concept of wholeness, its importance within fiction, and whether hope comes from waiting for heaven’s completeness or if we can experience it here on earth as well. Show notes: - Comment on this episode on our blog! - Become a supporter and get access to exclusive Story Embers updates, swag, and more! (https://www.patreon.com/storyembers) Music credits: Positive Motivation - Purple Planet Music (https://www.purple-planet.com/) Support the show

What role does a writer play as a member of Christ’s Body? How do we respect others and their gifts, even when their purpose looks vastly different from ours? And how do we respond when we feel like our value is misunderstood? Listen as Josiah, Gabby, and Daeus tease out where our identity comes from, how our actions involve much more than simply the task of writing, and how we can be a blessing to others both within the Body of Christ and outside it. Show notes: - Comment on this episode on our blog! - Become a supporter and get access to exclusive Story Embers updates, swag, and more! (https://www.patreon.com/storyembers) Music credits: Positive Motivation - Purple Planet Music (https://www.purple-planet.com/) Support the show

Famous writers throughout the ages attribute their growth to short stories. But is this literary form relevant to modern novelists? Listen as Lori, Mariposa, and Daeus discuss how short stories have (or haven’t) helped them, when a writer is ready to begin longer works, and how to hone your craft using short stories. Show notes: - Comment on this episode on our blog! - Become a supporter and get access to exclusive Story Embers updates, swag, and more! (https://www.patreon.com/storyembers) Music credits: Positive Motivation - Purple Planet Music (https://www.purple-planet.com/) Support the show

No matter what you’re writing, your book is meant for someone, whether yourself or a specific group of people. But at what point should you decide who your target audience is? And how does that choice affect your writing process? In today’s episode, Lori, Mariposa, and Daeus dive into these questions and discuss Christian vs. secular audiences, when writing for yourself is helpful, and more. Show notes: - Comment on this episode on our blog! - Become a supporter and get access to exclusive Story Embers updates, swag, and more! (https://www.patreon.com/storyembers) Music credits: Positive Motivation - Purple Planet Music (https://www.purple-planet.com/) Support the show

What keeps a reader turning page after page? Unique and surprising plot twists. But how do you pull them off? In today’s episode, Lori, Mariposa, and Daeus give practical and inspiring advice to superpower your ability to create plot twists that shock and delight again and again. Show notes: - Comment on this episode on our blog! - Become a supporter and get access to exclusive Story Embers updates, swag, and more! (https://www.patreon.com/storyembers) Music credits: Positive Motivation - Purple Planet Music (https://www.purple-planet.com/) Support the show

Some of the most memorable, enduring literature portrays tragic heroes and deep, powerful themes. So how can you depict these characters from a Christian perspective? In today’s episode, Lori, Gabby, and Josiah discuss negative arcs and give insightful advice on how to write the climax of a tragic arc. Show notes: - Comment on this episode on our blog! - Become a supporter and get access to exclusive Story Embers updates, swag, and more! (https://www.patreon.com/storyembers) Music credits: Positive Motivation - Purple Planet Music (https://www.purple-planet.com/) Support the show

Human beings were created by God as unique individuals and have been given the ability to create. So where do we find the balance between creating something completely new and original, and fitting in with today’s publishing world? Genre expectations are deeply established, but if God has called us to explore new directions within our work, how can we navigate that and still have a publishing career? In today’s episode, Josiah, Lori, and Gabby share clear and practical thoughts that illuminate many sides of this issue. Show notes: - Comment on this episode on our blog! - Become a supporter and get access to exclusive Story Embers updates, swag, and more! (https://www.patreon.com/storyembers) Music credits: Positive Motivation - Purple Planet Music (https://www.purple-planet.com/) Support the show

You’ve probably heard the saying that “someone who wants to write a great story must first live a great story.” But how do you tackle the questions and struggles you’ve faced through your characters and plot? Where should you draw the line between fiction and reality? In today’s episode, Lori, Gabby, and Josiah discuss a big topic: how writers can find inspiration in their own personal stories while still being servant-hearted. Show notes: - Comment on this episode on our blog! - Become a supporter and get access to exclusive Story Embers updates, swag, and more! (https://www.patreon.com/storyembers) Music credits: Positive Motivation - Purple Planet Music (https://www.purple-planet.com/) Support the show

We're taking a break for the month of April due to some technical challenges, but we'll be back on May 15th for a brand new episode of the Story Embers Podcast. In the meantime, check out our upcoming Riveting Revisions summit to supercharge your editing process on April 27-29: https://storyembers.org/summit/. Support the show